Ducks A-Z: Francois Beauchemin

Francois Beauchemin did not win the James Norris Memorial Trophy as the NHL's top defenseman and that was no surprise. Montreal's P.K. Subban won the Norris by a razor-thin margin over Minnesota's Ryan Suter with Pittsburgh's Kris Letang a respectable third.

Perhaps the bit of surprise came when Beauchemin's best season earned enough respect from the national hockey media to garner a fourth-place finish in voting that also included one first-place nod.

Beauchemin finished ahead of previous Norris winners Zdeno Chara and Duncan Keith (Chara did have 10 first-place votes but Beauchemin had many more top-five selections). It was reflective of his all-around play as the leader of an improved Ducks defense.

And then came the revelation from Ducks GM Bob Murray that the tough-as-nails defender played the end of the season and the playoff series against Detroit on a torn ACL. Maybe that's not in Patrice Bergeron territory but still something that earns a new level of respect.

Jake Gardiner is plenty young enough to still turn into a franchise defenseman. But the Ducks are getting more than plenty right now out of a true bedrock for them.

What he did in 2013: Beauchemin began the season by logging his usual 21-23 minutes per night and he got his first point with a goal on Jan. 29 at San Jose. His season took off when Ducks coach Bruce Boudreau paired him with Sheldon Souray and the two would draw the toughest assignments night in and night out. A 2-1 home win over San Jose on Feb. 4 saw Beauchemin assist on Souray's game-winning goal. The two effort against the Sharks became part of a 12-game stretch in which he racked up a plus-14 rating while also scoring a goal on Feb. 6 at Colorado and compiling nine assists. Four of those helpers came in a 4-3 home win over the Avalanche on Feb. 24, giving the defenseman a career high in a game. Beauchemin would also have a 10-game stretch in which he wasn't a minus player and carried a plus-9. He had three assists in a 4-2 home win over St. Louis on March 10. A week later, he scored twice in a 5-3 home win over San Jose. The veteran had two assists and a plus-2 at Chicago in a 2-1 win on March 29 but his offensive production dipped as he had three points in his final 14 games. Beauchemin had goals in Game 1 and Game 7 of the playoff loss to Detroit while also assisting on four goals. His worst moment of the season came in Game 7 when a turnover at the blue line led to a momentum-turning shorthanded score by the Red Wings' Justin Abdelkader. In all, Beauchemin played under 20 minutes just four times but also topped 25 minutes in 10 contests as the Ducks were able to balance out ice time better among their defense corps.

What could happen in '13-14: First things first, Beauchemin will need to recover from ACL surgery on his right knee in the middle of May. Reports then were that he is confident that he'll return for the season opener in October and he has direct knowledge of the recovery that is needed after needing just under four months to come back from a similar tear in the left knee. This one is believed to be not as severe but the timetable seems a bit too promising for an injury that often takes at least six months for a player to get back to playing and a year for him to truly regain his previous performance level. That alone will make it difficult for Beauchemin to play at his 2013 peak but few, if anyone, questions his will. Had he played an 82-game season, Beauchemin would have likely reached double digits in goals for the first time and topped the 34 points he had in 2005-06. His underrated shot is still heavy and he's shown a better knack for jumping down low to put in a rebound or making a play for a teammate but he'll never be an elite puck-mover or point producer from the blue line. But if Beauchemin is able to play in 70 or more contests, it is reasonable to think that seven to 10 goals and 25-30 points is possible on a team with several offensive weapons. Another plus-19 rating is a major stretch but the Ducks will gladly take another plus season and their usual big minutes from the eight-year pro. Some early-season care will be needed to keep him effective over the long haul.

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